Autonomous Bus Collides with Tram on First Day with Passengers in Gothenburg
An autonomous bus operated by Västtrafik collided with a tram in Gothenburg on its first day carrying passengers, after braking and being struck from behind. No injuries occurred and both vehicles sustained minor damage, but the incident triggered investigation into the causes and system adjustments.
What happened
An autonomous bus operated by Västtrafik collided with a tram in central Gothenburg on Monday, 25 May 2026, during its first day of service with passengers on board.
The bus braked and was struck from behind by the tram in the Kapellplatsen area. The collision occurred approximately one hour after the bus began its route at 10 a.m.
Reported impact
No injuries or fatalities were reported on the bus or the tram. Both vehicles sustained only minor damage to the bodywork.
Traffic between Kapellplatsen and Vasaplatsen was completely interrupted for several hours before circulation was restored by midday.
Index analysis
The bus had been operating in testing phase without passengers since late March 2026, but Monday marked the first time it carried members of the public in normal operational conditions. A safety operator was present on board to take control if necessary.
Transportstyrelsen had approved operation of the autonomous bus with passengers for an experimental period until 31 July 2027.
Governance controls
Västtrafik announced it would conduct a comprehensive analysis to determine the exact causes of the collision and evaluate possible adjustments to the system.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.